Need Help/Advice On Buying A Smoker

#1
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ninerplaya57

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#1
Hey guys I know a lot of people in this forum love to cook and so do I. I need some advice from you guys on getting my first smoker. I'm looking for something that doesn't have a big learning curve, I can tend to once in a while but it'll pretty much stay at the right temperature and I can walk away and let it cook, and I need it to be able to have the capacity to cook a large amount of food. I'm having a party next month and inviting about 75 people. If I find the right smoker I'm planning on making ribs, chicken and pulled pork. I really want something that is good quality and won't fall apart in a few years. I want this smoker to last a while. I'd also like it to be somewhat portable so I can store it away in a garage or shed when I'm done using it and keep it out of bad weather. Ideally I'd like to find something under $600, but if the product will last and is absolutely worth it I could probably go up to $1,000 or so. Right now I have a regular gas grill and I use it all the time for steaks, chicken, tenderloins, shrimp, grilled fruit, etc. are these things I would also be able to use on a smoker? I've heard mixed things about that. Also would it change the taste and make it smokey instead of how it would normally taste on the gas grill? In yalls opinion should I go with an electric smoker, something like a Weber Smokey Mountain, or a Kamado and are there ones yall recommend? Thanks guys!
 
#2
#2
ninerplaya57 said:
Hey guys I know a lot of people in this forum love to cook and so do I. I need some advice from you guys on getting my first smoker. I'm looking for something that doesn't have a big learning curve, I can tend to once in a while but it'll pretty much stay at the right temperature and I can walk away and let it cook, and I need it to be able to have the capacity to cook a large amount of food. I'm having a party next month and inviting about 75 people. If I find the right smoker I'm planning on making ribs, chicken and pulled pork. I really want something that is good quality and won't fall apart in a few years. I want this smoker to last a while. I'd also like it to be somewhat portable so I can store it away in a garage or shed when I'm done using it and keep it out of bad weather. Ideally I'd like to find something under $600, but if the product will last and is absolutely worth it I could probably go up to $1,000 or so. Right now I have a regular gas grill and I use it all the time for steaks, chicken, tenderloins, shrimp, grilled fruit, etc. are these things I would also be able to use on a smoker? I've heard mixed things about that. Also would it change the taste and make it smokey instead of how it would normally taste on the gas grill? In yalls opinion should I go with an electric smoker, something like a Weber Smokey Mountain, or a Kamado and are there ones yall recommend? Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

I love my BGE, but to cook for 75 people in a "set it and forget it" environment, I'd get a MasterBuilt 40 electric.

40-inch Electric Digital Smokehouse

It has 4 racks that you can get a good amount of food on, a digital therm so you can set your temp. Here are the versions Lowe's sells: Shop Smokers at Lowes.com


Invest in a nice meat thermometer or 2 ( I like the Thermoworks Dot)...DOT® Oven Alarm Thermometer from ThermoWorks

The Dot does 1 thing and does it well...accurate temps.

Good luck, have fun!
 
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#3
#3
If you want a set it and forget it then an electric is probably the way to go. I have a stick burner and it's pretty steady but it will fluctuate in temp quickly if you don't watch it. As far as the fruit and things,yes it will be a different flavor and have a smoke taste on a smoker
 
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#4
#4
vols72 said:
If you want a set it and forget it then an electric is probably the way to go. I have a stick burner and it's pretty steady but it will fluctuate in temp quickly if you don't watch it. As far as the fruit and things,yes it will be a different flavor and have a smoke taste on a smoker
Click to expand...

Agree. Anything with "live" fuel (something burning) is going to require some bit of attention. It doesn't bother me, but I sort of like tinkering with it.

You have to admit, though, that once you get a temp set and holding it for 7-8 hours is pretty cool.
 
#5
#5
Second the Masterbuilt. It's really about as simple as you can get. Add some wood chips every now and then and check the temp on the remote control without even getting up. Perfect when you can't tend one for hours at a time
 
#6
#6
Boca Vol said:
Agree. Anything with "live" fuel (something burning) is going to require some bit of attention. It doesn't bother me, but I sort of like tinkering with it.

You have to admit, though, that once you get a temp set and holding it for 7-8 hours is pretty cool.
Click to expand...

That's what I love about it. The whole getting the dampers and vents just right. I love the setting up all night and watching the fire box,it's my therapy lol
 
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#7
#7
utvolpj said:
Second the Masterbuilt. It's really about as simple as you can get. Add some wood chips every now and then and check the temp on the remote control without even getting up. Perfect when you can't tend one for hours at a time
Click to expand...

I want one just so I can smoke something while I'm at work and have it for dinner during the week.
 
#8
#8
Weber Smoky Mountain and save that additional 600 you are looking to spend. Best smoker IMO and very easy to use. I can smoke a few racks of ribs without adding charcoal more than once.
 
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#10
#10
I love my smoker. I've got a smoky mountain, maybe I'm just dumb but I felt like there was a learning curve and I still have to tend to it to make sure the temp stays right.
 
#11
#11
golfballs said:
I love my smoker. I've got a smoky mountain, maybe I'm just dumb but I felt like there was a learning curve and I still have to tend to it to make sure the temp stays right.
Click to expand...

i sometimes have to adjust the vents for temp, but I have yet to have to add any more charcoal to a smoke. I have only used it during the summer, so that might change when late fall and winter gets here.
 
#12
#12
BearCat204 said:
i sometimes have to adjust the vents for temp, but I have yet to have to add any more charcoal to a smoke. I have only used it during the summer, so that might change when late fall and winter gets here.
Click to expand...

Ok couple questions for you...

How much charcoal do you add? I normally put some coals in the bottom and top them with a chimney full of lit coals.

How much water do you add?

What is your normal vent setting?

I have a feeling that I add too many coals, too much water, and open the vents too much and it burns too fast.
 
#13
#13
I love my BGE. For my son's graduation party I smoked a pork butt, a couple of chickens and around 5lbs of mahi. Now it took about 18 hours but I was able to sleep about 6 hours during that night.
 
#14
#14
Half full with unlit brisquettes, topped with half a chimney of lit briquettes. Sounds like you are putting in too many lit briquettes and not enough unlit briquettes. I start my vents with the top completely open and the bottoms halfway.....then adjust depending on temp. I also put a gasket on the door to help keep the heat in on that point because the door on the side isnt the very best.
 
#15
#15
vols72 said:
That's what I love about it. The whole getting the dampers and vents just right. I love the setting up all night and watching the fire box,it's my therapy lol
Click to expand...

I agree. It is therapy for me! Especially in the Fall when there is a football game coming on and I'm out smoking/grilling after work. AMEN!

vols72 said:
I want one just so I can smoke something while I'm at work and have it for dinner during the week.
Click to expand...

Check Lowe's every so often. Last Winter (Jan/Feb'ish) down here in Sarasota they had some Masterbuilt's on clearance for dirt cheap. I was tempted but the wife would have killed me. I was soon headed to HH for a golf trip so I didn't want to push it. :)
 
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#16
#16
Does anyone have a Masterbuilt? I'm reading reviews on them and it says the older generation ones were awesome but the new generation ones are having some problems. I've read a lot about the Weber Smokey Mountain Smokers and people seem to absolutely love them. I've read about a few problems with them as well but nothing real bad. For yall that have them does it take a long time to get them to temperature and when you do does it stay at temperature or do you have to constantly keep an eye on it? I don't mind getting any kind of smoker to temperature and watching over it every now and then, I just don't want to have to be outside tending to it every 30 mins/hour. I'm also really interested in hearing more about the Kamados. I hear great things about them some say the BGE is the best and some say other brands are. What are your experiences and what size would you say I would need?
 
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#17
#17
ninerplaya57 said:
Does anyone have a Masterbuilt? I'm reading reviews on them and it says the older generation ones were awesome but the new generation ones are having some problems. I've read a lot about the Weber Smokey Mountain Smokers and people seem to absolutely love them. I've read about a few problems with them as well but nothing real bad. For yall that have them does it take a long time to get them to temperature and when you do does it stay at temperature or do you have to constantly keep an eye on it? I don't mind getting any kind of smoker to temperature and watching over it every now and then, I just don't want to have to be outside tending to it every 30 mins/hour.
Click to expand...

I've got a Weber Smoky Mountain 18".

Definitely don't have to attend every 30 minutes, but it does need attention every so often. For longer smokes you definitely need to add water to maintain temp. If you use the Minion method you should not need to add coals unless you are smoking longer than 12 hrs.

It does a great job of smoking the meat - I like it, but in hindsight think an electric would be better for me - this is not a set it and forget it smoker.

As a result I don't use it as much as I thought I would.
 
#18
#18
Looking at an electric for my dad as a thank you/birthday present. Any direction is appreciated
 
#20
#20
vols72 said:
Masterbuilt IMO is the way to go for electric. Also you could look into pellet smokers
Click to expand...

K. He's busy and in theory I know he'd like to be the type to man the temperature for hours, but I know better. The ability to obtain and maintain a temperature with little work is crucial
 
#21
#21
ninerplaya57 said:
Does anyone have a Masterbuilt? I'm reading reviews on them and it says the older generation ones were awesome but the new generation ones are having some problems.
Click to expand...

I have the 30 with a window and it works great. My dad has the same one. There is no need for the window if it's offered anymore because it gets dirty right away and I have no desire to scrub it. I've had mine for a few years with no issues. Set and forget smoking with pretty easy cleanup. They also have a couple pretty good recipe books from the guys who made the smoker
 
#22
#22
I have a Brinkman electric smoker that I bought at Home Depot for like $70 It doesn't get much easier than that

Also I saw someone on YouTube build a smoker out of a metal filing cabinet and I thought it was an awesome idea
 
#23
#23
one of my co-workers got an oil drum and lit it on fire to burn the remnants and turned it into a smoker.
 
#24
#24
Boca Vol said:
I agree. It is therapy for me! Especially in the Fall when there is a football game coming on and I'm out smoking/grilling after work.
Click to expand...



I cook year round but there is just something about the fri night before or getting up early on game day. It's just different I don't know how to explain it
 
#25
#25
vols72 said:
Boca Vol said:
I agree. It is therapy for me! Especially in the Fall when there is a football game coming on and I'm out smoking/grilling after work.
Click to expand...


I cook year round but there is just something about the fri night before or getting up early on game day. It's just different I don't know how to explain it
Click to expand...


I concur. I love tending to the smoker during football season. There's just something different in the air early on game day. Speaking of which, I noticed a little bit of that something in the air last Friday morning. It was glorious.
 
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